FIG. 1 provides a view of an automated teller machine (ATM) of the prior art, namely, ATM 10, having the following components: a screen display 11 for viewing by a user of the ATM; a check insert slot 12 for depositing checks; a keypad 13 for inputting information for use by the ATM; a money-distributing component 14 for providing cash to the user; an ATM card swiping component 15; a receipt-providing slot 16 for providing a printed receipt for the user; a deposit slot 17 for depositing cash or checks from the user; a camera location 18 positioned to take video of the user during a transaction with the ATM; a cover member 19 extending a length above screen display 11 and between check insert slot 12 and throat 20; speaker slots 21; and outer housing surface 22 extending around, between and surrounding the above-mentioned ATM components.
ATM 10 has one or more shortcomings relating to camera location 18. In particular, camera location 18 does not provide a view of a user when the user is standing in front of the ATM. Camera location 18 provides a view of a user sitting in a vehicle or a user standing back a distance from the ATM or a user standing so that the user's face is parallel to camera location 18, but does not provide a view of a user's face when the user is standing in front of the ATM, especially a user that is more than about 4-5 feet tall.
Further, when a camera (not shown) is positioned at camera location 18 within ATM 10, the camera is typically mounted onto a movable assembly positioned within ATM 10 (i.e., a movable assembly 54 shown in FIG. 6 is an example of such a movable assembly that moves from an operating position as shown in FIG. 6 to a maintenance position (i.e., see FIG. 5 which shows the inside of an ATM with movable assembly 54 moved into the maintenance position)). In order to adjust a camera setting (e.g., focus), one has to make an adjustment to the camera settings while the movable assembly (with mounted camera) is in the maintenance position, slide the camera and movable assembly back into the operating position, and check the camera new settings. If further adjustments to the camera settings are needed, the above procedure is repeated (i.e., adjustments to the camera settings cannot be made while the camera is positioned in its operating position).
What is needed in the art is an automated teller machine (ATM) that has one or more of the following features: (i) at least one camera positioned along an outer housing surface so as to provide a better view of a user of the ATM, (ii) a camera position so that camera setting adjustments (e.g., focus) may be more easily made, and (iii) at least one removable camera lens cover positioned along an outer housing surface of the ATM so as to be removable from a front position relative to the outer housing surface.